Gomoku is a board game for two players who take turns dropping stones, one at a time. The object of the game is to get five of one’s own pieces in a row (vertically, horizontally or diagonally). This number is called a “toh.”
There are five stones on the board at the beginning of the game, making for ten possible toh. If a player gets 5 in a row, all their stones will be removed from play. This move is called an “itiotoshi”, or “clean sweep/cleaning up.” The player who takes the 5th stone from a toh is said to have “made it,” and has taken their opponent’s stones.
Each player gets 5 stones to start the game with. The aim of the game is to get five in a row, either vertically, horizontally or diagonally. If you get 5 in a row, your opponent will have lost all their stones and you win.
If one player gets 5 in a row, all their stones will be taken off the board. This move is called an “itiotoshi” (clean sweep), and the player who takes the last stone from the toh is said to have “made it”. They also win.
Here is the summary:
1) The object is to get five stones in a row. If you do, your opponent will lose and the game is over.
2) To start, each player gets 5 pieces: they play one at a time and can’t move pieces already on the board.
3) The board has 10 rows (called toh), and you win when you get 5 in a row vertically, horizontally or diagonally.
4) If your opponent gets five in a row before you managed to, they will take all your pieces off the board and win. You can still win by getting 5 in a row after they have made it.
5) If you or your opponent gets 5 in a row but there are stones left on the board, those stones will remain and the game will continue.
6) The first player to use all their pieces wins!
So this is how to play Gomoku.